Cal's Plan
by Lady Marianne
Summary: Rose thinks Jack's dead. He thinks that Rose prefears to stay with Cal. But they don't know that it is all a plan by Cal to stay with Rose. first fanfic. Read and review. Please! Bad tittle, I know. New chapter, for those who asked for sequel!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Almost every boat had gone, most of them only half full. Second Officer Charles Lightoller was in charge of one of the few left. He was helping a little girl into the boat with her mother and her sister. Their father, who couldn't get into it because only women and children were allowed, was saying goodbye to his family. In that moment Rose realized that those girls will probably never see their father again, and nor would she see Jack. She turned around to talk to the man who was with her.

"I'm not going anywhere"

"What?" he asked "Rose, you must get into that boat"

"No, not without you"

Jack kissed her in her forehead. He couldn't believe that she was willing to risk her life just to be a couple of hours more with him. He loved her so much; he couldn't let her do that. _She must live_, he thought. _I have to make her get into that boat, but how?_

"I'll get the next one" he said desperately watching as the lifeboat was getting crowed.

"Jack, there's no next one. There aren't enough boats. Half the people in this ship will die. You can't die, Jack. I would be lost without you."

"I'm a survivor, Rose. I'll be fine, I swear. I just need to know that you'll be ok. You get into that boat and I'll get into another. When a ship pick us up, we'll be together again and that ship won't sink, I promise. Rose, we'll be together for the rest of our lives."

"Are you sure?" she asked still not knowing if he was being honest or if he was just trying to save her

"Totally." He tried to sound as convincing as possible.

"Come on miss" second Officer Lightoller said. "We're almost full"

Jack kiss Rose on last time in the lips wondering if he would ever see her again. While the boat was being pulled down Jack stared at it. He wanted to believe what he had just told Rose, he really wanted. He wasn't a woman nor a rich man, so he had hardly any chance to get inside a boat. He also knew that once the Titanic sank and leaving him in water that cold he would only last a couple of minutes, so he would depend on the boats, and whether they come back or not.

After what seemed like hours Rose and the other women in the boat reached water and started going away as fast as possible. Suddenly, there was a loud noise and Jack realized of where he was.

"At least a have to try" he thought as he started running to the back of the ship.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Rose was helped out of the lifeboat by other survivor from the Titanic. She would have said "thank you" if she wasn't feeling as bad as she felt. Just the thought of her only true love in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean was enough to make her feel dizzy. When one of the crewmen asked for her name and the class where she belonged, she couldn't answer because someone who was standing beside her spoke first:

"Hockley" a man's voice said, "she is Rose Hockley and she is traveling in the first class"

Rose didn't want to turn around. She couldn't believe her luck. Could it really be possible? The last time she had seen Cal he was in the Titanic, trying to get into a boat. Jack and Rose had seen him when they where with Tommy and Fabrizio. Cal wasn't a good swimmer; Rose knew that, so, if he was alive it was because he had probably found a boat which let man in. Maybe Jack was inside it too. She saw the rest of the lifeboats getting nearer to the Carpathia. Surely he was in one of those boats waiting. Her exciment must have been too obvious, because when she tried to get nearer to the rail, Cal stopped her.

"I wouldn't be so confident if I were you" he said

At this point she had to turn around. She saw her (former) fiancée smiling at her. It was a cruel smile, like if he was enjoying what he had to say.

"What do you mean?" she asked

"Jack's dead"

Rose's world crashed over her. That couldn't be truth. It had to be a cruel joke. Jack was a survivor; he couldn't have died in the Titanic.

"You don't know" she said, trying to hide her tears from Cal "You are alive, what makes you say that he isn't? I beat you that he is already here, looking for me"

"I don't think so, sweet pea. Have you seen him around? Did you checked the survivors list? Well, I have, and let me tell you, there isn't any Jack Dawson in it. Look at the boats, there are only women inside them. HE IS DEAD" he said, and after a pause he added "I told you, I always win"

"You're lying. You are just trying to get me back, aren't you? Well guess what, you lost. I will never marry you. Now, if you excuse me I have to look for Jack."

"You will marry me, as it was arranged. In a month time you will be Miss Caledon Hockley. Is it clear to you?"

"What makes you say I will? The fact that Jack is suppose to be dead doesn't change the fact that I don't love you. I can manage by myself. I don't need you nor your money to survive."

"You need me, Rose, you wouldn't last a week alone in New York. You don't have anywhere to go to, anyone to turn to. You don't have any money nor skills to earn it."

Cal was right, Rose thought. She needed money to survive and the only one who could helped her in that way was the man standing in front of her. But she wouldn't give up without fighting first.

"I'll manage" she said trying to sound confident.

"I would love to see that. Ok, let's suppose that you find a job, will it pay enough to support you and your mother"

She froze. She hadn't think of that. She had been more than happy to leave everything to follow Jack, but she didn't think her mother would accept to live without a maid.

"Come on, sweet pea. Your mother is waiting"

She didn't want to do it but she realized that she had to. Cal was right, the boats were getting nearer and there were only women inside them. Of course she would take a look at the survivor list, but for the time being she had to follow Cal.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

The last boat to reach the Carpathia was the one which had come back to look for survivors. For someone looking from the ship it might seam almost empty but most of it's passengers where lying in the bottom of it and covered with blankets. Most of them have already woken up by the time they got to the ship, but others had to be woken so they could get off.

The officer in charge of taking the names of the survivors went near the last person to get out of the boat. It was a tall blond man. His face was as white as a ghost. His blue seamed to be looking for something.

"May I take your name, please?"

"Rose Dewitt Bukater" the man said

"Excuse me, but I can't believe that your name is that sir."

"It's my girlfriend's name. Please tell me if she is alive"

"Let me see. Dewitt Bukater. Dewitt Bukater. Mmm, I don't think so. Oh, wait, here Ruth Dewitt Bukater"

"No, Rose Dewitt Bukater. She must be there"

"Sorry sir. The only Dewitt Bukater I have is Ruth. Now may I have your name please sir"

"This can't be right. She was in a boat, I saw her. Check under Dawson"

"We don't have anyone under that name sir. I'm sorry"

"But…" the man started, but he couldn't finish. What had happened? She was safe inside a boat. He himself had watched the boat going away. Maybe they returned to look for survivors and they sank. That couldn't be possible either because he had heard the officers in his boat saying that the were the only ones coming back. He heard the officer talking to him.

"Sir, you better go to the nursery. You don't look good. You'll give me your name later."

"That's what I'll do. Thank you"

"Poor people" the officer thought as he watched the man leaving. "Thanks good I wasn't on the Titanic"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

A red haired woman entered to the third class deck. She made her way trough crying widows and reached to an officer who was holding a survivors list.

"Excuse me" she said "I'm looking for someone. May I have a look to that list, please"

"Sorry ma'am, but that's against the rules. Why don't you tell me the name and I'll tell you if it's here"

"Sounds good to me. The last name is Dawson. I'm sorry but I can't remember his name"

"Don't worry ma'am, I'll check. Sorry, but a can't see anyone under that name."

"It doesn't matter. He's probably dead. Thanks for your time"

"Ma'am, wait. Now that I think about it, early this morning a man came asking for someone name Dawson. Maybe he is the one you are looking for."

"A man? Was he a tall blonde man?"

"He was! Is he who you are looking for? Maybe you could give me his name."

"Spicer Lovejoy is his name. Do you know where can find him?"

"I told him to go to the nursery. You should go there"

"Thank you very much" Said Ruth Dewitt Bukater as she went.

So Cal was right, she thought. The rat had made it, he was alive. He must not see Rose again, she must think he was dead. Her daughter would thank her someday, of that she was sure. The only thing that she had left to do was to convince that man that her daughter didn't love him. That would be easy. Cal had given her quite an amount of money to do that, and, if that failed, she had come up with a plan which couldn't go wrong. Rose would marry Cal and she would be able to keep social position.

She reached at the nursery and prepared to what she had to do.

"This will be easy" she whispered as she entered.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Jack was in one of the nursery's bed thinking about what he had just been told. She couldn't be dead. Maybe she had changed her name and she thought that using his may seam too obvious and it would lead to her discover. If only he would have a list . There were thousand of names she might have taken!

A nurse appeared from behind the curtain used to separate one bed from an other.

"Sir," she said "there's someone who wants to have a word with you. I told her that you are too weak to have visitors, but she said it important. Shall I let her in?"

"Who is she?" He couldn't think of anyone who would like to talk to him.

"She told me that she is Miss Dewitt Bukater"

Jack's heart started beating quicker than before. So she was alive. He wondered what name had she used but it doesn't matter, he thought., when we dock, she'll be Rose Dawson. He told the nurse to let the lady in, while he tried to sit in the bed. Half a minute later a red haired woman entered to the room. She had the same curly hair as Rose, the same eyes, but she wasn't Rose, it was her mother

"Where's Rose?" he asked

"Good to see you too, Mr Dawson" she said

"Where is she?" he repeated "She isn't…" he stopped. Just the thought of Rose being dead was too painful

"Dead?" the rich woman completed "She's still breading, if that's what you mean. But to you she should be dead as you are dead to her"

"What do you mean?"

"She send me to thank you for saving her last night. She said that the whole incident made her think about life and she realized that life is too short to waste it. She is marrying Cal next month. He's a good catch. She'll have everything she wants"

"But she doesn't love him!"

"Mr Dawson, you should remember that sometimes love isn't everything. Love doesn't buy food, for instance. That's why she also sent me this money so your expenses are covered for at least a year." She said showing him the bag she had in her hand.

"It doesn't sound like her. It seams more a Cal thing. Lovejoy tried to do the same thing when we were on the Titanic."

"May I say that you've only known her for 3 days, while I've known her for almost 18 years? This is exactly the kind of thing she would do. Besides, she sent me a letter. She probably guessed that you wouldn't believe me"

Jack took the letter and begun to read it. It was a woman's handwriting. It said everything that Ruth had just told him. It also talked about the party he had taken her to the day after they met. That was something that Ruth couldn't know about. This was undoubtedly written by Rose. He looked one last time at Ruth.

"Fine." He said "Tell her that if she really wants me out of her life, I wont be between her and Cal anymore. Tell her that… Wait, do you have one minute? I'll write it down." Ruth wasn't very happy about that. She wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. In the end she accepted. She would do anything to have Cal's millions.

Five minutes later Jack folded the paper he had been writing on and gave it to Ruth.

"Would you please give this to Rose?" he asked. "I think she really needs to know how I feel before making a decision"

"Fine by me" Ruth agreed goin out. Then she turned around and said "One last thing, Mr Dawson. As you should know, you can't keep many secrets in a ship, so many people found out that Rose and you were having an affair. It would be better if they thought that you died, for Rose, you know. I told an officer that you name was Spicer Lovejoy. He died, you know and so you can receive his unemployment insurance. Just say that Cal fired you. Inside this bag you'll find a lot of documents to prove that you are Lovejoy. "

"I don't care the name. I'll take it if it's what she wants"

"Thank you Mr Dawson" she said and she left the room.

Once she was outside she took the piece of paper that he had given and put it in one of the pockets from inside her coat. She thought that she would burn as soon as she reached home. Now, she had to tell Cal that the plan had worked.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Rose was sitting in the dinning room and she was going through the survivors list one last time. There wasn't any Jack Dawson in it.

"Does the list include those who are in the nursery?" she asked

"Yes ma'am. It has just been update. I brought it as soon as the last man in the nursery gave us his name. Just like your husband told me to do"

"Yes, thank you" Cal relied

"I can't believe he is really dead" Rose said "Hey! What's this? Lovejoy is alive"

"What?" Cal asked getting closer to the sheet of paper her fiancée was holding.

"Oh, yes. As a matter of fact he was the last one to give us his name. As soon as he woke up he started saying a name. What was it? Violet? No. It was a flower, I'm sure" the officer said.

"Was it Rose?"

"Yes! He was looking for someone name Rose"

"Lovejoy wanted to see me?"

"I don't think so, sweet pea. We don't know anything about his life. Maybe he had a daughter name Rose, or something."

"I better go and check, just to be sure"

She was getting up, when her mother came in.

"You won't guess who I just saw in the nursery" Ruth said

"Jack!"

"No, darling, he's dead. Did you see his name in the list? No, I guess he wasn't as strong as he thought, was he?" laugh Cal.

"He was stronger than you" his fiancée answer.

"Stop it, both of you. No, I didn't see that boy. I runned into Lovejoy, you're valet. I hope you forgive me Cal, but I had to fired him. He had to protect you and Rose and he didn't."

"And did he accepted?" Cal asked, knowing that she was talking about Jack.

"Of course he did"

"And did he asked you something about me?" Rose asked

"Why would he?"

"This man here" she said as she pointed the officer "told us that the minute he woke up he started calling for someone name Rose. Maybe he wanted to see me. I'll better go and ask him"

"Oh, I wouldn't do that if I were you, Rose. It's a horrible place and he is too weak to have many visitors. They let me in because I told them that I was looking for my son in law's valet."

"But maybe he wants to tell me something…"

"Rose, he didn't mention you, but he did say something about a daughter. Maybe her name is Rose." lied Ruth

"See? I told you that he was talking about a relative" Cal said

"You're probably ok. Do you mind if I go to take a walk? I'm not feeling very well"

"Go on sweet pea. Do you want me or your mother to join you?"

"No, I rather go alone. I'll be back for lunch"

"We'll wait here"

"That was closed" Ruth whispered as she watch Rose going away

Cal smiled.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

When the Carpathia docked in New York hundreds of people went to the port to receive the Titanic's survivors.

Jack was one of the last people to leave the ship. He didn't want to talk about the Titanic to anyone. Three days ago, when he was with Rose, he thought that winning that ticket was the best that could ever happened to him. Now, he wished he hadn't won that poker game. Not only it took him to the greatest heartbreak that anyone could have imagine, but it had also killed his best friend, Fabrizio. He sweared that if he ever went back to Europe he would apologize to his friend's mother. But he wasn't going to Europe. At least not for the time being. He would stay at New York for a couple of days and then "hit the horizon" to where he liked.

"Rose would have loved that", he thought, but then, he took it back. "No she wouldn't. She will marry Cal because she wants. She had the chance to leave him, but she stayed besides him. Stop thinking about her."

He realized that he didn't have a place for the night, and he couldn't afford it either. Yes, he had Rose's money, but he didn't want to use it. He remembered that there was a homeless shelter nearby and he decided to go there, but before she looked one last time to where the Carpathia was. In that moment he saw her. Cal was talking to the reporters and she was standing beside him, just looking around. Their eyes met. Her eyes trapped him, he couldn't move, but then she thought _"She doesn't love you. You're hurting yourself. Move" . _Slowly he turned around. In his mind he heard her screaming "No", but he didn't look back.

Meanwhile, Caledon Hockley was being harassed by reporters.

"Oh, yes. I'm very angry with the White Star Company. They will be soon hearing about my lawyers. I'm also planning to write a very strong letter to them."

Jack wanted to write a very strong letter to them, Rose thought. He had told her that when they heard Mr Andrews saying that the ship was sinking. Jack. Jack. Jack. Why couldn't she let go off him? She even saw him among the crowed.

"That can't be him" she thought, "he's dead. Dead" But why was he staring at her? Why didn't came any closer? Why was it so real?

Slowly, he turned around. "No" she whispered "No, please, no. COME BACK" she shouted, but he didn't turn back.

"What is it sweet pea?" Cal asked

"Rose, are you alright" she heard her mother, but she couldn't answer because everything went black before she could open her mouth.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Rose woke up the next morning in an hospital near the harbor. She was in a bed near a window so she could still see the Carpathia. She could also see the Statue of Liberty. "_Liberty, yeah right"_ she thought _"If there was such thing as liberty I won't have to marry Cal"_ In that moment, the door was open and her mother entered into the room.

"Hello darling. How are you feeling? You scared us yesterday. What happened?"

Rose didn't reply. She was still looking through the window thinking in her unwanted marriage with Cal, and, therefore, in Jack. Why was he dead?. Didn't she deserve a chance to be happy? He had promise that he would make it, that they would be together. He wasn't honest to her and for that Rose wanted to hate him, but she couldn't. She loved him so much.

Her mother's voice brought her back to reality

"Rose are you alright?"

Rose turned around to look at her mother. Unfortunately, she wasn't quick enough to hide a single tear that was dropping from her eye. _"It's not time to cry for him. Not yet. You have to be strong now."_ she thought. She had promised that when she was walking in the Carpathia's deck. She had decided that she would use all her energy to break free once again, like she had done in the Titanic, except that now Jack wasn't there to help her.

"I'm fine, mother" she answer

Ruth had seen the tear dropping from her daughter's cheek, but she said nothing. She was confused. At the beginning she was sure that her daughter didn't really love that man and if she had "gone out with him" during their voyage was only because she wanted to show to her mother that she was no longer a little girl. Ruth was sure that once they dock, Rose would return to her life and to Cal's arms. But now, she was crying for that boy who she had only known for 3 days. Could it be that Rose was really in love with him? She doubt it.

Rose was told that Cal wanted to travel to Philadelphia as soon as possible. In fact, he would have traveled that day if Ruth hadn't stopped him claiming that Rose wasn't strong enough yet to travel. Rose agreed. There wasn't much for her to do, at least in her condition. She decided to travel to Philadelphia and then… She didn't exactly know what she would do next but she hopped that she would come up with something.

A nurse came in and told the women that Rose would probably be able to go back home that afternoon. Ruth said she was going to their house and that she would tell Call to pick her up after lunch. Rose accepted.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Jack spent his first night in New York at a homeless shelter. The next morning he decided that he required money in order to leave that city and travel, so he went to the park to do the only thing he was good at: drawing portraits of people for 10 cents a piece. It wasn't much, but it would provide him of what he needed, more shits of paper. He had only few cents so he used them to buy the materials, next he found a good place in the park and waited for the inspiration to come.

Unfortunately, that wasn't as easy as he thought it would be. He couldn't find something as beautiful as his Rose. _"It's not your Rose, dam as"_ he thought. But then, something caught his eye. It was a young couple walking through the park. Jack didn't know why, but he took his pencil and started drawing. He had to be fast, because the couple was moving, but then they sat at a bench and that gave Jack the time necessary to finish their faces. It wasn't until the drawing was complete that he recognize them. They were Cal and Rose.

At the beginning Jack wanted to destroy the drawing, but then he looked at it. It might have been his imagination, but Rose didn't seem too happy. There was something in her eyes telling that extremely unhappy.

"_Stop trying to believe that she loves you. She left you. It doesn't matter if she is happy or unhappy, it's not up to you to save her" _he thought. But then, something came back to his mind. It was the vision of a young, red haired woman. She was hanging from the back of the ship.

"_Don't come any closer"_ she had said _"I'll let go"_

"_No you wont" _he had answer _"I'm too involve now. If you jump I jump"_

Jack repeated that last sentence many times for himself. "_I'm too involve now"_. That was true. In spite of being told that she didn't love him, he had to know if she was ok.

Rose and Cal began to again. Jack followed them from a certain distance so he wouldn't be discovered. The couple didn't talk at all. _"That's a bad signal."_ he thought. Finally they arrived to a house. Although it needed some painting in the front, you could tell that it had been a very good looking house. Rose and Cal entered to it, but Jack couldn't move. He was very confused. On one hand he could have sworn that he saw that Rose wasn't very happy about being with Cal, but then, on their way home, he didn't see any sign of rebellion. It looked as if her old fire had gone out.

"I'll stay, so if she goes out again I can see if she is really happy. If she is, I swear, I wont came back. I'll let her live her own life" Jack decided.

So he stood, hidden beside a tree hopping that her one true love would come out soon and prove that he wasn't lying to himself.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Inside the Dewitt Bukater house a lot was going on. When Cal entered he asked what was happening. An old maid who used to work in the Hockley's house started crying and went to the kitchen.

"Can anyone tell me what a hell is going on?" Cal shouted

"I'm sorry to be the one telling you this, Mr Hockley" Ruth said as she walked down the stairs "Your father is very ill. When everyone read in the newspaper that the Titanic had sunk he was pointed as the responsible for it. They said that the steal wasn't good. He couldn't stand it and he suffered a heart attack."

"What? Where is him?"

"He is in a hospital in Washington. I would recommend that you take a train immediately. Take all the time you need. You must be with your father."

"Ruth, you do know that if a go the wedding has to be postpone, don't you?"

Ruth didn't look very happy about that, but she just said that she knew and that it was more important that he goes with his father

Rose almost smiled. Her wish had gone true, the wedding was postpone. She managed to go upstairs to her bedroom without being stopped. She was so happy that she went out to the balcony and started laughing. No wedding, Cal gone… nothing could spoil that happiness, except… _"No, not yet. I wont cry over Jack's dead. I'm not ready. I still have to get rid of Cal"_

She smiled again. Now that Cal wasn't controlling her, she could try to have a job to earn some money, then she would be able to travel anywhere. She didn't care if for her mother anymore. The only thing that she had been talking about was what to do with the money they'll get after the marriage. Rose realized that she wasn't concerned about her health or anything. She just wanted to know if she would be able to marry Cal. She felt stupid for not leaving her when she had the chance in the Carpathia, but then she thought _"what's done is done."_

She smiled one last time to the people in the street and went back into her room. She didn't noticed a young man hidden beside a tree, but the man did see her.

"Goodbye Rose. I see that you are happy now. I wont chase you anymore, I promise." Jack whispered and he turn around.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Six months later

On October, 18, Rose woke up early, as usual. She always told her mother that she was going to have a walk or to a friend's house, when she was really going to work, but that day she wasn't, she had already quit, because she had the money that she wanted and she was finally able to leave. In fact, she was going to the train station to buy a ticket, it didn't matter where, she just wanted to be far away from New York.

She took advantage of the fact that Cal was still in Washington and her mother was very busy throwing parties at her house. Nobody seam to care about her so she started feeling as she felt on the Titanic, but this time she wasn't going to give up so easy. She was going to fight to break free, she wasn't going to try to kill herself.

She returned by noon. She was holding a ticket to Chicago. She tried to go upstairs as quickly and as silently as possible, but her mother's voice called her from the living room. Rose hide the ticket inside her dress and went to find her mother.

She was surrounded by maids.

"Rose, guess what. Cal has to stay in Washington for quite a while, it seams, so he rearranged everything"

"Rearranged what, mother?"

"Your wedding! You are getting married in Washington. Isn't that great? We're leaving tonight"

"Tonight! That's so soon. We have a lot of things to arrange here. We can't just leave"

"Oh, yes we can. Cal told me not to worry about this. He said that we should only take what we really need and then he will send someone to fetch the rest. Now go, you have to pack. Elizabeth" she told one of the maids " go help my daughter with her packing"

The two young women went upstairs. Rose sat at the bed, unable to do anything. She had been so close, she had almost left, but now, everything was ruined. She hated Cal.

Ruth also went upstairs. Her luggage was already made but she wasn't quite sure of what the weather would be like in Washington, so she went to fetch a coat from her wardrobe. She couldn't decide which one was better.

"I know, my fox coat. It the better, although it's a bit heavy. Where is it?. Oh, here it is!"

Ruth pulled it out. She was very disappointed when she found out that it was ruin

"What happened to it? Oh, I know, I wore it that horrible night in the Titanic. What a pity! I'll give it to charity. Let's check if there's something left in the pockets. Oh, what's this?"

Ruth took out a piece of paper. It was written with a handwriting she didn't recognize. There where only few lines, so she started reading it.

_Dear Rose_

_Your mother just told me your decision to marry Cal. In spite it kills me to picture you two together, I wont get in the middle. The only thing that matters to me is that you are ok, and if think that you'll be ok with him, that's fine by me. I just want to know why. Why, Rose? We could have been so happy, together. I know, we wouldn't be a rich couple, but we would have been happy. You made me feel the luckiest man in the world, the most powerful. More powerful than Cal or any of the men in first class, who you said where the 'masters of the universe'. As I said, I wont get in the middle, but before I go I want to tell you that I love you. I've loved you since I saw you hanging from the back of the ship and I will love you until my dying day. I'm so sorry that I didn't tell you how I felt when I saw you, but, what's done it's done. I hope you have a long and happy life near Cal. I love you._

_Jack Dawson_

Ruth was shocked. Rose hanging from where? She read the letter once again. For six months, she was convinced that Jack was with Rose only for the money, but in the letter it was quite clear that money was the last thing he cared for. Could it really be that that boy was in love with Rose? Did she love him back? She felt terrible, maybe she had helped to destroy the life of a young couple. She had to know how Rose felt. She had to know what really happened in the Titanic.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Rose sat at her bed fighting against the tears that wanted to fall. _"Not yet, Jack, please, not yet. I have to be stronger than ever. Please, I can't cry."_

"Miss, are you alright?" Elizabeth asked

"Yes, yes" lied Rose "I can handle this, Elizabeth. Go see if my mother needs your help"

The maid left the room, but in that moment Ruth came in.

"Rose, may I speak a word with you?"

"Mother, this isn't the best time. I still have to pack a lot of things"

"Please Rose, it's very important" For the first time in almost 18 years Rose felt that her mother was truly concerned about something else than money

"Ok, mother, what is it?"

"I just wanted to ask you what happened in the Titanic."

"What… What do you mean? It sank, don't you remember?"

"I do. But I meant with Jack. How did you meet him? What did he tell you?"

That was too much. For six months Ruth pretended that the Titanic didn't exist, that they hadn't been in it. But now, she was asking all this painful question to Rose. She hadn't spoken about Jack to no one, and the last person she would have chosen to start telling all that staff was her mother.

"I don't understand what you are talking about"

"Ok. Let me put it in a different way. Do you love him"

"Jack's dead" Rose said, and a tear dropped from her eye

"Please, Rose, I need to know. You tried to kill yourself, didn't you? But he saved you."

"How a hell do you know that?"

"What happened?"

Rose still didn't want to talk, but she felt that her mother knew something very important, and the only way she would tell her was after she would tell her own secret.

So she did. She spoke about everything, starting of how she felt about Cal and how she had tried to commit suicide and also about her plans to leave with him. As she talked she couldn't resist any longer and tears began to fall. Once she had ended, she felt somehow better. Maybe it was time to cry for Jack.

Her mother listened silently. She just looked at her very differently of how she had seen her for her whole life. Once her daughter finished her story she said:

"Rose, I wasn't honest with you. I have to tell you something very important. After I do, you may hate, and, trust me, I won't complain about it. I was a horrible person. I should have told you this back in the Carpathia. Jack isn't dead."

Rose stopped crying. She could hardly understand her mother's words. Jack alive. That was impossible. He would have tried to find her. He loved her, he wouldn't have given up hopes. He knew she was safe in a boat. Why didn't he look for her?

Her mother seamed to understand what was going through her head, because she started telling her what really happened. She didn't look at her daughter, instead she looked throughout the window, but when she turned around, Rose could see that she was crying.

"Please, Rose, I hope that someday you can forgive me. I was more interested in the money than in your happiness."

"I… I don't blain you." Rose whispered

A little smile appeared in Ruth's face.

"Rose, I have no idea where the boy is, but if you want we can search for him. He is using a very well known name, it wont be hard to find out what he had been doing in the past six months. We can see if he has been receiving Lovejoy's unemployment insurance. This means that you don't have to go to Washington to marry Cal, unless you want to."

Rose didn't want, so both women went to search for any information related with Lovejoy, but it turned out that there wasn't anything that prove that he had survived the sinking. The only thing that he had done it was a donation to an art school. Ruth realized that it was the exact sum that she had given him.

The came back exhausted late in the evening. Ruth was very disappointed, but Rose was happy. It didn't matter that the couldn't find him. At least he was alive. They decided that they should leave New York as soon as possible, not only because, as Rose said Jack had probably left, but also because Cal would surely send someone to take them to Washington. So, that night they took a train to Boston, where the kept searching for Jack.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Rose and Ruth spent a whole year and a half traveling from place to place trying to find Jack, but they couldn't. They weren't able to stay long anywhere because they still have Cal's people after them, but they had managed to remain hidden. Everywhere they went, the both got jobs to pay their tickets to somewhere else. They had been almost everywhere. They had visited Jack's hometown, Chippewa Falls, but they where told that there weren't any Dawson's left. They also went to Santa Monica, where Jack had promised to take Rose, but nothing.

Ruth suggested that maybe he had travel back to Europe, so they returned to New York and sailed in a ship that wasn't as half as luxurious as the Titanic, but it was the only thing they could save. As neither of them could get a very good job, they could only afford two third class tickets.

Rose didn't mind. Money was the last thing she cared for since they left New York the first time. She just wanted to find Jack, tell him that there has been a huge mistake, and that she loved him, but she was starting to lose her hopes. Where was him?

In spite the had change their last name (they now were Rose and Ruth Andrews) the oldest feared being recognize by one of her old friends, so she spent most of the time inside their room. Rose, on the other hand, took long walks through the deck of the ship, although it make her fell terrible sad. Everything make her think about Jack. _"That's normal"_ she told herself _"you met him in a ship, now, for the first time after what happened you are in one. What did you expected?"_

April, 13 arrived and they were in the ship. Most of the passengers didn't seam to realize that the next day would be the 2° anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. Rose did, as well as few passengers. That night she couldn't sleep. At 1 am she couldn't be there for any longer and she woke up. That was more or less the hour when she last saw Jack, when she boarded the life boat. Trying to do as less noise as possible she went to the back of the ship. That was where everything started and she wanted to be there once again.

She didn't find anyone in her way and she was glad for it. Maybe if she had met someone she would have to explain herself and she was unable to speak. She stepped on the rail, as she had once done. _"How easy would be to jump. You can't stop me now"_ she thought.

"Jack" she whispered more to herself than to anyone "Where are you Jack? Are you still alive, or was my mother lying? Please, give me a sign. I wont give up, I'll find you, I don't care if it's the last thing that a do, but I swear that I'll find you. Please, you have to save me. You are too involve. You can't go without knowing that I'm fine." Rose repeated the words that Jack had once told her.

She was so distracted that she didn't hear that someone had come from behind. He was standing still, listening to every word that the woman said, trying not to make any noise, because he feared that the woman would stop speaking.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

After he saw Rose smiling in the window, Jack understood that she was really happy and that he shouldn't be there. He promised to himself that he would not chase her anymore.

As it was very hard to keep that promise, Jack decided to leave New York. But when he took the money that Ruth had given him and donate it to an Art School under the name of Spicer Lovejoy, someone saw one of his drawings and begged him to stay as a teacher. Jack couldn't say no, that was what he had always wanted, so he stayed. He took the name of his best friend, Fabrizio De Rossi, who was also a great artist.

After almost two years, he had received an offer to go to Paris to work as an art teacher in a very important school. Jack had accepted without thinking it twice. The only thing that he didn't like about it was that he had to travel by ship, and, according to the ticket they had sent him, he would arrive to London on April, 14, so he would spend April, 12 in the sea.

Although he own a first class ticket, he spent most of the journey in the deck. He didn't like his room, it made him fell trapped. _"No I know how Rose felt"_ No, he couldn't think about Rose, she was dead, at least for him. But it was impossible not to think. He was in the exact place where saw Rose running to the back of the ship. It was a clear night and he was in a bench, facing the stars. He could even feel someone pass running beside him. _"That was too real"_ he thought _"It couldn't be just a feeling"_ he decided to go and see what had happened.

He saw a woman facing the see. It was too painful for Jack, because she had red hair and she was in a very similar position to Rose, but unlike her, she didn't seam to want to kill herself. He would have gone, unable to look, but in that moment the woman started to talk.

Her voice was no more than a whisper, but he could hear every single word, and recognize it immediately, although he hadn't heard it in 2 years. She seamed to be talking to herself, she probably thought she was alone. Jack wanted to move, but he couldn't. With each word she said, his heart beat faster. Could it be? Was he dreaming? He knew he was awake, and he also knew that it wasn't a vision, it was real. The woman wasn't lying.

Jack moved slowly so not to scared the woman. She was inside the ship, but she might fall if someone talked to her when she was distracted.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Rose was still looking into the water, as if she hopped that someone would come out of it. Then, she heard a man's voice. He spoke slowly, it seamed that he didn't want to scared her.

"Mind if a stay here?"

Rose didn't move. She didn't turn around either. She was scared. She knew that voice, she heard it in her memory, but could it be? Was Jack in the same ship?

"I do not own the ship. Please come."

Jack didn't say a word. He just walked towards her and stand next to her, looking into the water. No one said a word, no one look at the other.

Jack was thinking what to do. On one hand, he thought that Rose didn't love him, but he had heard her and it seamed that she really want him back. Rose was also thinking. Jack had all the reason in the world to hate her, after all he was told that she didn't love him. But he had heard her and he had approach. He wouldn't have done so if he hated her.

"Jack? Is this a dream?" Rose said, after what looked like hours

"Don't know. If it's so, let me tell you, I have had this dream many times, although you were with your fiancée."

"Cal is no longer my fiancée, nor my husband."

A little smile appeared in Jack's face, but Rose didn't see it. Both of them were still looking into the water.

"Do you hate me?" Rose whispered

"Trust me, everything would have been easier if I hated you"

The smile now appeared in the girl's face.

"Why did you chose him, Rose? Why did you chose him and then left him?" Jack asked, trying to stop the tears

"I didn't chose him, Jack. You have to believe me, please. It was Cal's plan." And she explained what her mother had told her. She also told him how she spent almost two years trying to find him. "You can hate me Jack. I hate myself for believing my mother, but, please, please forgive me. I can understand I you have already rebuild your life, I don't asking you to come back with me. I'm just begging you to forgive me. I can't live my life knowing that you hate me."

"You don't want me back?" Jack asked

"Of course that I would love that you come back, but I can understand if you don't want to. I know that…" but Jack cut her in.

"I do" he said

"You do what?"

"I do want to come back to you, Rose. I love you. I always did and I always will. I left because it was to painful to think of you and Cal together, but if I had received a sign of you, I would have come back, I would have saved you."

Rose smiled, but this time Jack saw it and also smiled too. He touched her cheek and made her look at him. He kissed her as he was hopping to for two years. Then they both started walking.

"Rose, I know this may seam too soon, but… I have a job, in Paris. I'm an art teacher in a very famous school. They say the pay is good, it wont afford too many expensive things, but I think that I can live with it, and I think that I will, eh… that I will also be able to feed a wife and maybe 2 or 3 kids, so…"

Rose looked at him smiling. She understood what he wanted to say, but she wanted to hear it from his own mouth.

"So…?" she said

"So… I guess that what I'm trying to say is… Would you like to be that wife? Would you marry me?"

Rose smiled. Jack, who was on one knee also smiled.

"Of course I will!"

"Crap, I don't even have a ring" he said

"I don't care if you don't have a ring, Jack, I don't care if you don't earn enough to buy food. I just want to be with you until I die."

They kissed once again.

"Come, we have to tell my mother" she said

"Your what?" he asked, still smiling

"Come, she has change. She'll be happy for us, I swear"

On they way to wake Ruth up, Jack asked

"Do you think this one will sink?"

"I don't know, but I do know that I'm not getting into a lifeboat without you."

Jack smiled and kissed his new fiancée.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter sixteen

Ruth was shocked to hear someone at the door. She was also shocked when she saw that Rose wasn't there. She woke up and found face to face with her daughter.

"Rose… Where the hell have you been? It's 2 in the morning."

"Oh, mother. You wouldn't believe it even if I told you!"

"What do you mean?"

"I found him. He's here."

Rose was smiling. Her mother couldn't understand what was going on.

"Who's here? Who did you find?"

"Jack."

Ruth's mouth fell open.

"Jack? Jack Dawson? Where is he? Are you sure?"

The young her told her the story. She also told her that Jack had seen an officer and that he went to talk to him. Rose didn't know what he wanted to do, but she trusted him.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door and Rose opened it, hopping to find Jack. But the man wasn't Jack. It was an officer.

"Excuse me. Rose Dewitt-Bukater? I Have orders to take you somewhere. Would you mind following me? Someone will take care of your luggage."

The two women were very surprised, but they followed the officer through the corridors. It was almost 3 in the morning so they were the only ones who weren't sleeping.

They finally arrived to the first class corridors. The officer called at the door 159 and a male voice told them to come in. Neither of them could believe it when they saw Jack and a middle age woman waiting for them.

"I assume this is Rose, isn't she?" the woman asked. "Hello, I'm Caroline Turner."

"Caroline is a very well know fashion designer. I met her during this voyage." Jack said.

"Jack… what's going on? The officer said something about luggage…" Rose asked.

"Well, I finally found you. You don't expect I would leave you in the basement, would you? This time we're traveling in the same class. I asked the officer if you could come here and he had no problem about it. I asked Caroline to come because she has some dresses she can borrow you."

"You mean… You mean we're back in the first class?" Ruth asked, very shocked.

"Yeah. You're back in the first class. What do you think?"

"Jack, this is…"

"More than I deserve. Thank you, Mr. Dawson, but no thank you. You Rose stay if you like. Now, if you excuse me, I'm going back to the steerage section."

Jack saw Rose's face and said:

"May I have a word with you, please. Meanwhile Rose can try one some dresses."

The old woman agreed and both of them left the room.

"Now… Will you tell me why you don't want to take my offer?"

"Mr. Dawson…"

"Jack."

"Fine. Jack. I did something very wrong. I hurt you and my daughter. I made both of you spend two horrible years. Now you want me in your life again?"

"Yes! You are Rose's mother. Nothing will change that. I would love to have my parents with me, but I don't have them. Rose has you and I won't be responsible if she loses you. Besides… I want my kids to have a grandmother. Oh, c'mon. don't look that way. Rose will have kids, eventually. You better face it."

"I know, I know. It's just I don't feel old enough to be a grandmother."

Jack laughed. She laughed too.

"So… what do you say? Are you coming with us?"

she looked at him for a second and the replied:

"You know… for the last… year, I guess, I tried to think why Rose prefeared you over Cal. Now I have my answer. You are way better person than he was."

"C'mon. let's face it, I way more good looking that he!"

both of them laughed again and went back to the room, where Rose was waiting for them.

The wedding took place a month later in Paris. It was a small ceremony with just a few friends. The only person who was on the Titanic who attended was Molly Brown.

Jack and Rose had three kids and Ruth quickly got used to being a grandmother.

The end!


End file.
